Printing wheel



J. G. M KAY PRINTING WHEEL Aug. 19, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1950 Aug. 19, 1952 J. ca. M KAY PRINTING WHEEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1950 i at enteci Aug. l9, 1952 PRINTING WHEEL James G. McKay. Chicago, Ill. 7 Application February 23, 1950, serial No. 145,660

-1 This invention. relates generally to printing wheels and more particularly is directed to a novel Construction for a printing Wheel of the type to be used forprinting dates, classifications and other indicia on moving packages of tion line, for example. My invention is suitable for use in the production of printing wheels in many different types of dating and numbering devices where it isrequired that the numbers or letters be changed frequently without difiiculty and without unduly delaying themovement of the production line. In achieving the construction of a wheel; which will enable these functions to be performed in a speedy and highly efficient manner I have accomplished one of the principal objects of my inven tion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel which has knurled edges for engaging the packages as the wheel rolls over the same, which .knurling is extremely deep thereby deforming the said edges to extendlaterally providing a shoulder cooperating with other portions of the wheel to hold type members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a printing wheel of the character described in which the body of the type is protectively mounted below the edges so that the edges of the wheel take the" brunt of the pressure of, the printing wheel'against the package from the type to cause said type to last a relatively long time.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of the printing wheel to enable same to be manufactured cheaply and with a minimum of parts and utilizing simple tools.

' Other objects of the invention lie in the prof a produc- 3 Claims. (CL-101%376i 1 5 Fig. 4 isi'a-sectional view taken through the I wheel generally along the line 4-4-0f Fig; 3

scription of the preferred embodiment proceeds.

printing wheel of Fig. 1 and looking in the indi- V cated direction, but showing the lower end of the wheel engaging ,a surfaceupon which characters are being printed.

formed by the knurling, the

and in the indicated direction, but showing the manner in'which the knurling engages the-surface and the manner in which the circumferential type members engage beneath the shoulders iew being one greatly enlarged scale. I

Fig. 5' is -a side elevational vi w 'ofa modified form of a printing wheel which is-simple-in construction in that no numberers-are included, said wheel embodying my invention. 7 I H! Fig. 6 is an edge view in elevation showingth e formof I typemembrs used with the constructions described prior to associating-same with the printing wheel.

The inventionresides' principally-in the pro- "vision of the'deep'ly'knurled circumferential-edges of the faceplat'es ojf a printing-wheel thereby pro viding notonly means for frictionally engaging the surface, to be printed to cause rotation of the wheel, but also providing shoulders beneath which type members may be engaged and firmly held; while serving to limit the amount of deformation of" the type-members during'pri'ntin'g'to cause same towear' better thanheretoforer The printing wheel is capable of being used' with apiparatus described in=my (id-pending applieati Serial No. 789,239,;filed December 2; 19%7; new Patent No.,;2,562,627',-;f0r Device for Printing Characters, Etc. and Serial No; 145,659, filed February 23, 1950, for Code Printing Attachmentfor Tape Dispensing Machines, althoughfnotbeing limited thereto.- The invention is--applicable--to simple wheels having only the typemembers hereinafter described, and as well to wheels which in addition have the numberers shownianddescribed in the former of said cO-pending, applications.

Re ring now. to the drawing hereiereeqe character 1 I!)v designated generally a printing wheel formed of a pair of spaced apart circular ace plates mo n ed r m 5 vil i-b means of the opposite nuts 13 thread'e'd gtofsaid bushing l2 and having a centralshaft ,Mffjourvnalled in said bushing; Such printing wheels as described herein are usually mounted idleso that, as a surface [5 moves relative thereto, the wheel will rotate: printing characters upon said surface. Such idle'mountings are well-known in the arts and need not be illustrated hereinbut are shown'm my co-pending applicationsjher'eiiiabove referred to. The face plates jll are provided with aligned rectangular openings l .6, circumferehtially arranged and radially disposed,

and a numberer I! is disposed between each pair of. aligned openings l6 having the frame members I8 thereof engaged by the inner surfaces of the plates I I so that the plates l I are spaced apart by means of such frames.

The details of construction of such numberers form no part. of my invention, but suffice it to say that same may be the conventional rotatable tape form of numberer modified to be associated with the printing wheel 10 in'accordance with the disclosure of my co-pending application Serial No. 789,239 and having the exposed printing characters I9 slightly protruding beyond the circumferential edges of the wheel I so that as said wheel is rotated the characters IE will be impressed upon the printing surface l5. 1 v r a are held together upon th frames l8 by a plurality of bolts '20 and 2!, the

another purpose to' be- 1 The plates ll bolts 2| also serving described. The circumferential edges of the plates l I are knurled, as shown at 22;, but instead of knurling the said edges in the; conventional manner, said .edges are provided with an exceedingly great knurling. The effect is that not onlyis a deep and pronouncedknurl provided, but as well a portion of the edge is deformed laterally thereby providing a sharp undercut flange orshoulder on opposite sides of the plates ll along the circumferential edges thereof. The outer shoulders 23 are of no importance, but the inner shoulders 24 which face one another are an important portion of my invention. Said inner shoulders may be formed in other manners than knurling, but I prefer the method because of its great economy and the need for a minimum of forming tools.

Said shoulders 24 serve to retain the fiexible typestrips 25 in the circumferential slots of the wheel H], The type strips 25 are formed as shown in-Fig. 6 of strips of flexible material such as rubber having the characters 26 and their backingsZl vulcanized thereon. The width of the strips 25 is exactly the distance between the inner faces of .the plates li and the height of the'strips up to the backing2l is equal to the depth of the lots fromthe surface of the arcuate members 29 to the; base of the shoulders 24, that is to the junctureof the inner face of'the'plates II with said shoulders 24. Said slots which are designated 30 are formed by means of a plurality of arcuate straps 29 spaced inwardly of the knurled edges 22 and extending between the numberers l 1 so that type strips 25 maybe disposed'between said numberers. The ends of the straps; 29 are curled around the bolts2l as shownat 3 I especially in Fig. 1. 1

The strips 25 are formed witha plurality of cuts 32 between the characters 26 to enable the normally flat strips 25 to be arched .when installed upon the printing wheel. The strips are forced into the slots 30 so that their edges are engaged beneath the knurled shoulders 24 in the slots 30 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The base of the strip 25 is snugly engaged against thestrap 29, holding the strip in place. As the Wheel [0 engages the surface I5, the frictional engagement between the knurled edges 22 and the said surface causes the wheel to .rotate. The wheel cooperates with an inking device (not shown) which daubs the characters l9 and 26 with ink as the wheel passes the same and thereafter transfers said ink to the surface 15. When the characters 26 engage the surface l5, the same are compressed, as shown on the ing bolts 55.

knurled in the exact manner as the edges 22 thereby forming similar undercut shoulders 51.

4 bottom of Fig. 3, but such compression is limited by the edges 22 of the wheel l0 thereby providing little wear and long life for said strips 25. Furthermore the characters are less distorted and print clearer than other devices.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a form of printing wheel which is greatly simplified. Same is designated generally 50 and consists of a pair of circular plates 5| mounted upon a shaft 52 and held in spaced relation by a. concentrically arranged sleeve 53 which serves as a spacer. The sleeve is positioned by the sleeves 54 carried by the fasten- The edges 56 of the plates 5| are Obviously a continuous type slot 58 is thereby formed about the wheel 59 between the sleeve 53 and the edges 56.

I dispose type strips 25 in the slot 58, symmetrically spaced about the circumference of the wheel so that equally'spaced impressions will be obtained, for example upon an endless paper tape. To assist in such spacing and to prevent the type strips from slipping along the slot I provide stop members in the slots, such as the transverse pins 60 against which the ends of the strips 25 may be engaged. Thus in Fig. 5, the wheel 50 is intended to rotate in a clockwise direction so that the pins B!) will prevent movement of the strips 25 relative to the slot 58. Obviously the strips 25 are engaged in the identical manner as those described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, and the same advantages are achieved.

It should be obvious that the characters 26 need not be formed in strips but may be individual flexible members deformable sufiicient to be readily removed or installed in the wheels. My invention contemplates either or both of these expedients.

It is believed that my invention and the preferred manner of constructing the printing wheels described herein have been explained sufiiciently to enable those skilled in the art to understand and appreciate the advantages and benefits thereof. Many variations are possible with respect to size, shape, and other details, but I do not wish to be limited by the description except as circumscribed by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rotatable printing wheel for printing indicia on a printing surface moving relative thereto which comprises a pair of spaced apart ,discs, means sandwiched between the discs and forming therewith a circumferentially arranged slot therebetween, a flexible type strip member removably disposed in said slot and having char- ,acters protruding beyond the edges of said discs, the circumferential edges of the discs having knurling therealong of sufiicient depth to provide without undercutting of the side faces, relatively long deformed lateral juxtaposed shoulders engaging over the upper edges of the strip member at points radially spaced inwardly of said circumferential edges whereby to fix the strip member in the slot and limit the extent of'compression of said characters when pressed against said printing surface. v T

2. A' construction as set forthin claim .1- in which the means'sandwiched between the discs comprises a sleeve member having a diameter substantially less than .the said discs and arranged concentrically thereof. j

3. A construction as set forth in 'claim 1 in 2,607,293 5 which the said slot is provided with means to Number limit slippage of said strip member therealong. 1,683,774 JAMES G. McKAY. 1,702,763 2,343,721 REFERENCES CITED 5 The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 2 2 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5661373 Number Name Date 10 236,319

778,957 Durham Jan. 3, 1905 1,617,876 Swanson Feb. 15, 1927 Name Date Haase Sept. 11,1928 Clark Feb. 19, 1929 Van 'Iuyl Mar. 7, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Mar. 24, 1922 France Feb. 22, 1924 Great Britain July 9, 1925 

